


Hidden Talents

by lemoncellbros



Series: Grey's Anatomy [1]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Fluff, Grey's Anatomy - Freeform, Grey's Anatomy References, Hidden Talents, Levi plays the violin, M/M, Moving In Together, lico - Freeform, nico kim - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24383152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemoncellbros/pseuds/lemoncellbros
Summary: Dr. Nico Kim finally asked his boyfriend, Dr. Levi Schmitt, to move in with him. While they're going through Levi's old things, Nico stumbles upon his greatest talent. He gains a deeper understanding of his boyfriend.
Relationships: Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Series: Grey's Anatomy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797934
Comments: 5
Kudos: 109





	Hidden Talents

Nico was having too much fun helping Levi pack up his things in his mom’s basement. He’d finally asked Levi to move in with him after around 6 months together-- he’d justified it by saying his place was much closer to the hospital and it would be more practical, but they both knew he was kidding himself. Everyone at Grey + Sloan Memorial knew how gone the two were for one another, and this was just another opportunity for them to be together when Levi wasn’t on Ortho.

What was so great about being with Levi is that Nico was learning something new and interesting about him every day, and he was constantly floored by all the hidden talents he had, like his ability to perfectly flip crêpes on the first try; or how he could make everyone feel totally at ease. That being said, there was still a lot that he didn’t know about his boyfriend, and he was hoping their moving in together would be the perfect opportunity to learn.

It was a Monday night that they agreed to pack up his things and haul them home in Nico’s black Jeep. Levi greeted him at the door, where they exchanged a quick peck as he waved him inside. His mother wasn’t home, so he led the two of them down to the basement, where boxes were already sprawled around, half packed.

For the most part, they worked in relative silence, the only noises being the shuffling of boxes, tape, and Levi’s occasional humming. Books of all genres, from textbooks to DnD, were lovingly arranged and carefully put aside for transport, but what surprised Nico was a particular shelf that had seemingly no relation to the others; binders upon binders and notebooks stuffed to the brim with sheet music. Not only that, but a certain case hidden in the corner beside the bookshelf caught his eye.

“Levi?”

“Yes?” he hummed, looking up from where he was folding clothes on the floor.

“How come you never told me you played the violin?” Nico asked, holding up the copies of concertos that were spilling from the shelf.

Instantly blushing, Levi took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, a bashful look that melted Nico, “Uhmm, it just never came up, yanno? Besides, I’m not sure I’m talented enough to walk around bragging about it.”

Nico cocked an eyebrow, “This repertoire says differently.” Thumbing through the titles, he questioned “Tchaikovsky, Ysaye, Sibelius? Maybe I’m not a musician myself, but growing up in an Asian family with siblings and cousins playing these pieces, I know enough to say these aren’t just for anyone.”

Leaning against his bed, Levi looks everywhere except at Nico while he’s talking, “Well, you remember me telling you about how much of a nerd I was. I just happened to not mention being… an orchestra nerd, band geek, whatever you wanna call it.”

“How come?”

“I guess it felt too personal? I mean, I know it’s dumb to say because I was spilling my guts to you in the ambulance bay, but I love my music and it didn’t feel like Debate Club or playing Dungeons and Dragons… it’s something I’ve always just had for me,” he looked back at Nico for a moment, but instantly averted his eyes at his earnest look.

He smiled softly. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I’d like to know if you’re willing to tell me.”

“I’m not sure… I mean, uh, I don’t want to disappoint you.” Levi looked back up at Nico with his doe eyes, searching his face for any excuse not to at least tell him about it, but he couldn’t find any. So, with a sigh, he began,

“Uhm, okay so I started playing when I was around five, I think? Violins are pretty significant in the Jewish community and my mom wanted me to play, but I never quit like she thought I would,” Levi refuses to look up at Nico for fear of whatever thoughts he had while listening to this.

“This was one of the first things I was good at, yanno? So, I kept practicing and I joined the orchestra in middle school, went to band camp every summer until senior year. I was concertmaster in my junior and senior years of high school,” he smiled at the memories, unaware that his boyfriend was smiling at him as well.

“I was gonna go to college for it, major in violin performance. I had a scholarship and everything, but I turned it down last minute for pre-med. I kept playing, though. Never stopped, not even with my internship,” and even for all his insecurities, Levi felt a lot of pride speaking about his music career.

When he finally did look back up at Nico, his expression was full of unbridled adoration. Levi sighed in defeat, knowing that this was something his boyfriend would never mock him for, unlike some other influences in his life. He motioned for Nico to hand him the case. He couldn’t deny himself a little satisfaction at Nico’s responding, dazzling smile. Levi began unpacking his violin with practiced certainty, going through the motions of rosining his bow and pulling on his shoulder rest, his body naturally falling into position.

Nico watched with great interest as Levi touched bow to string, just starting with some scales and octaves and getting his tone and intonation in check. Slowly, though, he gained confidence in his playing and pulled out some of his warm-up pieces. Watching how fast and precise Levi’s fingers were flying across the fingerboard as they were, Nico gained an understanding of how he had such beautiful surgical techniques. Nothing fancy, but it still impressed Nico.

Eventually, he dropped into a rest position and made a gesture towards the music in his boyfriend’s hands, “Did you want me to play something? I mean, of course I won’t if you’d rather I didn’t…” Insecurity: 1, Levi: 0.

But Nico didn’t care about how his boyfriend stumbled over words, it was nothing but endearing to him. He just rested his chin in his hand and asked, “If you could play me any piece in the world, what would it be?”

An unreadable expression crossed Levi’s face as he made his way to his shelf of music, carding through a couple of folders before he found what he was looking for. He blocked his boyfriend’s view of the title of whatever piece he was holding, carrying it and his violin reverently close to his chest as he set up a rickety music stand that Nico had missed in the corner.

Smoothing the pages out before him, Levi tried to mask the plethora of emotions that were rolling and crashing their way through his body, to no avail. Collecting himself, he channeled all the fear he had of showing Nico this vulnerable side of his, but also all the deep love he had for him into this piece, and began to play.

An exquisite air filled the room as the first notes of Ernst’s ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ rang out. Nico could never explain the complicated and darkly beautiful swirl of feelings that swept him away with each bar that passed. The languid, sorrowful slurs accentuated by whimsical pizzicato brought forth something unidentifiable within him, something powerful that made him want to fall to his knees and be consumed by the music.

Nico couldn’t deny the few tears that escaped as he watched him play. Sure, the music in and of itself was gut-wrenching, but the way that Levi played it betrayed his passion, his struggle. He plays completely with his eyes closed, moving with the rise and falls of the music,

‘The Last Rose of Summer’ slowly dies out, leaving Levi and Nico to stare at one another across the room; it would be a waiting game as to who spoke first.

It’s Levi who speaks first, “Uh, I hope that was alright, I know I didn’t play all the variations so maybe it doesn’t get across how it makes me feel but --”

His nervous ramblings are cut short by Nico’s passionate kiss, one that lasts a bit too long. When they come up for air, it’s Nico’s turn to be flabbergasted,

“Babe, I mean I had no idea. You’re...you’re magnificent. I don’t even have good words that describe how it felt to hear --”-- you understood, Nico. You understood.” Levi finishes with a dazzling smile.

Now standing face to face, Nico gently brushes hair from Levi's forehead and leans down to his ear and whispering, "I want you to teach me everything," in that hoarse voice of his.

Still breathing shallowly from Nico being so close, Levi asks, "teach you everything about...violins?"

Nico's gentle chuckle warms Levi in a way no instrument could, "Not about violins... i want to know everything about you."

Levi is shocked that someone as successful, beautiful, confident, kind, etc. etc., as Nico would want to know anything about him, much less everything. It's in Nico's Jeep packed with boxes that he promises to teach him everything, and it's the best decision he ever made.


End file.
